The Latest CBD Oil Information and UK News – A Definitive Guide

Every so often, a certain supplement, extract or compound comes along and seems to take the health industry by storm. In the recent past, we have seen ketones, coconut oil and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane).

Now, we are firmly in the middle of a whole lot of buzz around the cannabis-derived compound, CBD oil. Amidst calls in various countries around the world to legalise the use of cannabis for both recreational and medical use, the potential health benefits of the drug and its extracts have been pushed to the forefront of the health media.

Perhaps the most popular derivative of cannabis being used to relieve health conditions is CBD oil, but does it really have any worthwhile benefits?

This article will give you all the relevant information you need to know about buying, using, and the effects of CBD oil.

What is CBD Oil?

CBD, which is short cannabidiol, is a type of extract that comes from the cannabis plant. CBD occurs naturally along with more than 100 other compounds. Another that you may have heard of is THC, which stands for tetrahydrocannabinol, and is the compound responsible for the feeling of getting “high” when ingesting cannabis.

Although both of CBD and THC come from the same plant, farmers have developed ways in which to breed plants with different concentration of the compounds. Of course, those wanting the benefits of CBD without the psychoactive effects of THC will breed their plants to accommodate this.

Once inside the body, CBD works by reacting with the numerous cannabinoid receptors around your body, many of which are found in the brain. The two types of cannabinoid receptors are labelled C1 and C2.

C1 receptors are more abundant in the brain and have an effect on things like mood, coordination, and appetite. These are the receptors that THC attaches itself to.

The C2 receptors affect your immune system, and so have a part to play in controlling inflammation. CBD works with your C2 receptors, but it is now thought that CBD doesn’t attach directly to these receptors.

Instead, it seems to direct your body to use a larger number of its own cannabinoids, which do naturally occur in your body.

What Does CBD Oil Cure?

Due to the early days of its’ use and lack of long-term research on specific conditions, we are currently unable to state as fact that CBD oil holds the cure to any health conditions. However, there have been several studies that do support the benefits CBD has when it comes to relieving symptoms for various ailments.

There have also been rat studies showing a positive response to feelings of pain after surgical incisions on rats injected with CBD.

Aside from chronic pain, CBD has been observed to improve symptoms of diabetes. One study done on diabetic mice showed a significant decrease in the incidence of diabetes.

CBD Oil Uses

Pain relief is just one of the many possible uses for CBD oil. Below, are just a few more of the numerous potential uses and benefits you could enjoy from adding CBD to your health regimen.

Combats anxiety disorders

A study by the University of Sao Paulo showed that CBD has psychological effects that could be used to treat disorders such as anxiety and depression. The study states that the extract interacts with the limbic and paralimbic areas of your brain.

Fights against cancer

CBD may also have antitumor effects. These early findings are by no means conclusive but look promising. Among these findings is the potential for CBD to inhibit the growth of cervical cancer cells.

As mentioned, there are many more uses for CBD: seizure, back pain, and arthritis relief to name a few. You can read about more of the uses in detail in our article on the benefits of CBD oil.

Remember, though, that CBD oil has not been proven to cure any disease nor do we claim as such.

Do I Need an NHS Prescription to Buy CBD Oil?

While medical cannabis (which has recently been legalised in the UK) requires a prescription from the National Health Service, CBD oil is not subject to these restrictions. CBD oil is approved for over-the-counter sales so long as the THC content is less than 0.2%. That’s why you can find it for sale online and in all manner of stores.

Where is the Best Place to Buy CBD Oil in 2018?

2018 has seen a dramatic rise in the number of places selling CBD oil; both online retailers and high street stores have got involved in selling it.

Holland and Barrett were the very first high street shop to begin selling CBD earlier this year and they now stock a range of different CBD oil products on their shelves and website. Of course, there are also a host of other online retailers with different products for sale.

In our own store, we stock CBD oil that you can be sure are of the highest quality and purity available. Click here to view our CBD oils.

What to Look for When Buying CBD Oil

As with almost any health supplement or compound, there is going to be a variance in the quality of the oils available. With the CBD industry booming and still in its infancy, there are bound to be a few companies looking to take advantage by selling inferior products. This section will give you some helpful guidelines on what to look out for when purchasing CBD oil.

The first thing to look out for is the extraction process the oil has gone through. There are a number of ways companies are able to extract CBD oil from the cannabis plant. Some companies use cheaper methods that involve the use of solvents like butane or propane.

The suggested method to look for is “supercritical” extraction or CO2 extraction, which uses high pressures of carbon dioxide to extract the oil. This method is said to preserve the purity of the oil and leave you with a more potent product.

You will also want to ensure your CBD oil is free from the psychoactive compound, THC and that it has been sourced from all-natural, industrial hemp. All of this information should be available on the manufacturer’s website.

Is CBD Oil Legal in the UK?

While cannabis is a controlled drug in the United Kingdom, CBD oil is perfectly legal. Industrial hemp, which is where the CBD oil is extracted, is allowed to be grown in the UK if you are licensed to do so.

This is because these plants do not contain high enough levels of THC to have a psychoactive effect on the brain. As a rule, any CBD products must contain less than 0.2% THC and the THC must not be easily separated from the product.

Although CBD oil has not been licensed as a medicine, it is legal to sell it as long as no medical claims are made about the product being sold.

How Old Do I Need to Be to Legally Purchase CBD Oil?

There is no age restriction by law on purchasing CBD oil in the UK. However, some retailers may choose to only sell their products to people over the age of 18 years, but this will likely be the case for all of their health supplements.

CBD oil is perfectly safe for children to use. In fact, there are products targeted specifically towards children like CBD gummies.

Does CBD Oil Have THC?

It was discussed earlier how both CBD and THC are compounds that can be extracted from cannabis plants. They share some very similar effects and health benefits, but THC activates the cannabinoid receptors in the brain to cause psychoactive changes, whereas CBD does not. For this reason, THC is not legal for use in the UK.

Since both compounds come from the same plant type, you are almost always going to extract a certain amount of THC along with the CBD. As long as your CBD product contains less than 0.2% THC, it is legal to be sold in the UK.

How To Use CBD Oil

There are a few methods you can use to ingest your CBD oil: inhalation (through vaping), topically, sublingually and orally are the most common ways of getting it into your system.

By far the simplest for most people is to take the oil orally via capsules, food, or just ingesting it straight. Once taken orally, the oil can be metabolised by your liver before the active compounds are absorbed into your bloodstream.

The most efficient delivery method in terms of CBD oil absorption is inhalation. By using a vaporiser to inhale the oil, the oil can pass through your lungs and directly into the bloodstream very quickly. More of the original compound is absorbed with this technique.

At the end of the day, how you use the oil is personal preference and may take some experimentation to find your preferred method.

Is It a Good Idea to Use Organic Oil?

Organic products are grown and processed without the use of man-made chemicals like pesticides and growth-enhancers. Certain chemicals used for non-organic produce could be harmful to your health.

For this reason, it is always going to be better for you to select organic foods and the same goes for CBD oil as well. Check the label for the organic certification to make sure your oil is free from pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals.

How Much CBD Oil Should I Take?

There are no official scientific guidelines or recommended daily intakes (RDI) for CBD dosages, which can make it hard to know exactly how much you need to take.

Furthermore, the dosage amount will not be the same for every person; factors like weight, sex and your reason for taking the oil all come into play. Below are some general guidelines you can use as a starting point to get your dosage right.

Not noted on the chart is that females are likely to need a lower dosage than males. Since everybody has a different tolerance, the best advice we can give is to start with a lower dosage and see how it affects you. From there, you can increase the amount of CBD oil you take over time until you get the desired effect.

What Is CBD Oil Made From?

CBD oil is made by extracting the CBD compounds from hemp or cannabis plants. CBD oil derived from hemp plants will contain a higher percentage of the CBD compound whereas, the oil extracted from cannabis plants is likely to contain more THC than is legal in the UK.

The purest CBD oil will come from organic industrial hemp plants that have been bred to contain the highest concentration of CBD possible.

Solvents, oils, or even highly pressurised carbon dioxide will then be used in the process of extracting the oil from the hemp plants.

What is the Strongest and Most Potent CBD Oil Available?

Different strengths of CBD oil are available between the various manufacturers on the market. The potency of the oil is usually indicated by a percentage on the label. For example, an 8% oil means that 8% of the total product consumed will be CBD.

Using the percentage, you can work out how much actual CBD you are consuming with each serving and adjust according to your needs. The potency of oil available varies greatly with one of the very strongest oils available providing a huge 40% potency.

What Does CBD Oil Do?

Once in your bloodstream, CBD oil reacts with cannabinoid receptors throughout your body to increase the activity of the natural cannabinoids found inside the human system. The receptors, known as C2 receptors, that CBD influences are commonly found in your immune system.

This is why CBD has such positive effects on pain relief, inflammation and other symptoms associated with illness and disease.

Unlike THC, CBD will not attach itself to the receptors in the brain that are responsible for giving people a “high”, which is commonly associated with the use of cannabis products.

Does CBD Oil Get You High?

CBD oil will not get you high as long as it does not contain a large amount of the THC compound. THC is the psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant; it can attach itself to the receptors in the brain and influence your mental state.

By law in the UK, CBD oil must contain less than 0.2% THC. Therefore, you should not get high from any CBD products bought from a reputable source in the United Kingdom.

What Types of CBD Are There?

CBD oil can be ingested in numerous ways, which gives people the freedom to choose their preferred one. Below is a short description of the most common types of CBD.

Oil: Taken by using a small dropper sublingually, which means the oil drops are placed and held under the tongue. This is an efficient delivery method that allows the oil to be absorbed via the many blood vessels beneath your tongue.

Vape: Another efficient delivery method that involves using a vaporiser to convert the oil into a vapour before inhaling it. Inhaling it means it bypasses the liver and makes it into the bloodstream relatively quickly.

Capsules: These are oil or powders that have been dosed out into easy to ingest capsules. Capsules are very simple to take, store, and dose as the amount of CBD per capsule should be indicated on the label.

Crystals: A very pure, powdered version of CBD, which is very easy to dose: 10mg of crystals should equate to 10mg of CBD. The crystals are also very versatile and can be mixed with food, drinks, and even vape liquid.

Gummies: Gummies are an edible source of CBD oil: gummy sweets that have been infused with the oil. The benefit here is they can be flavoured and are easy to eat. However, some may contain other ingredients that you may not like, so you need to examine the labels.

What Does CBD Taste Like?

Pure CBD extracted from a hemp plant is likely to have an earthy taste. Some people describe it as grass-like and slightly bitter, which is likely from the plant’s chlorophyll.

The taste can be masked by taking the oil with other foods or buying flavoured oils that are now common on the market.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article has given you a wealth of information about the effects of CBD oil. As you can see the popularity of the oil is not without merit; the numerous benefits and little to no known side effects make it well worth considering as part of your daily health routine.

Check out our own line of high-quality CBD oil products available for order on our online store.